Collapsible crate



Mar. 6, 1923.

C. E. TUELL COLLAPS IBLE CRATE Filezi Apr. 18, 1922 Patented ar. 6,1923.

' connsrsrrstn onh trn.

Application filedflpril'l, 1923. Serial No. '555 ,i52

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that Crms'rnn 'TUELL, citi- Zen of theYUnitedistatesyresiding at Wash ingtomfin gthe District of Columbia, has invented certain new and useful Improve ments in G011 apsib following is aspecification.

f llihis specification l1as, reierence to a fold-v ing crate, a-ndmorespecially relates toa crate suitable" for shipping. chickens and thelike. J

1 (inc important object of the invention is to improve thegeneralconstruction oi devices of this character.

A second"importantobject of'the inventionisto provide a novelarrangement of dowel pins and sockets for hold ng the top or the cratein position both when the crate in its set up position.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the crate collapsed.

Figure 3 is a detail section showingthe corner arrangement in thiscrate.

Figure 4 is a detail section showing the dowel pin arrangement with thecrate set up.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4i with the crate collapsed.

In the construction of this invention there is provided abott-om 10 ateach corner of which is mounted a hinge plate which consists of a stripof metal split to provide a pair of legs 11, the metal beyond the splitportion being indicated at 12 and bentback upon the legs. The legs arethen bent to eX- tend away from this portion and the portion 12 is alsobent so that one leg extends at right angles to the other. This portion12 is provided with lower opening 13 and an upper opening 14. The loweropening 13 receives the reduced end 15 of lower side frame members 16which are connected to the upper side frame members 17 by slats 18. The

1e Crates; of which the.

upper" Openings ceive the reduced end 19 of lower end frame members 20which' are connected to upper framemembers 21,; slats 22. vVit-H'thisconstruction t'he1;sides fan told do wnon thefbottom 10 and the ends canthen fold down on the: end portions oi said l-sides. In the tops of themenjbers' 21 are iorineddowel pin sockets 23 andcor respoi'idinglyplacedsockets 24: are termed in the outside spaceof each member 20Likewise the members 17 are provided with dowel pin sockets 25 in theirtop spaces.

*The top of this crate consistsfof a"'r ec-. ta ngn-lar tramle' havingside frame: members 26 and end frame members 27. From the under side ofthese members dowel pinsj28 project, downwardly so as to enter the openings and 25' when the crateVisset up or the openings 24: when the crateis collapsed.

Between the end members 27 extend intermediate .men'ibers 29 and securedto these in= terniediate members; adjacent .eachend are clips 30 whichengage in notches 31 of the members 2lwhen the crate is set up or innotches 32. whenthe crate is collapsed. At each corner of the .top is acorner brace '33 which depends from the topaso asto engage the cornersof the side and end frames both when the crate is set up and when it isco]- lapsed.

When the crate is set up the top is placed in the position showingFigure 1, and, in the position showing in Figure 1. and, owing to thedowel pins and corner and end frames against accidental collapsing. Inlike manner when the crate is collapsed the top with itsdowelpinsy'clips and corner-braces will hold the parts together in suchmanner as to prevent breakage during shipment.

There has thus been provided a simple and eiiicient device of the kinddescribed and v tor the purposes specified.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form andconstruction of the invention without departing from the materialprinciples thereof. It is nottherefore desired to confine the inventionto the exact form herein shown and described, but it is wished toinclude all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new. is

1. In a folding crate, a bottom, side frame members hinged at. theirbottom portions to the crate bottom and foldable inward thereon, endframe members hinged at their bottom portions to the ends of said bottomand foldable on the side frame members, said end frame members havingdowel pin sockets in their top edges and correspondingly v placed dowelpin sockets in their outer faces bottom portions to the ends of saidbottom and foldable on the side frame members, said end frame membershaving dowel pin sockets in their top edges and correspondingly placeddowel pin sockets in their outer faces adj acenttheir bottom edges, atop having depending dowel pins at its ends arranged to enter thesockets on the edgesof the crate ends when the crate is set up and toenter the sockets on the outer faces of said ends when the crate iscollapsed, and clips carried by said top and engaged in the ends in bothset up and collapsed positions whereby to.

hold the top securely on the remainder of the crate in either of saidpositions.

3. In a folding crate, a bottom, side frame members hinged at theirbottom portions to the crate bottom and foldable inward there on, andframe members hinged at their bottom portions to the ends of said bottomand foldable on the side frame members, said end frame members havingdowel pin sockets in their top edges and correspondingly placed dowelpin sockets in their outer faces adjacent their bottom edges, a tophaving depending dowel pins at its ends arranged to enter the sockets onthe edges of the crate ends when the crate is set up and to enter thesockets on the outer faces of said ends when the crate is collapsed,clips carried by said top and engaged in the ends in both set up andcollapsed positions whereby'to hold the top securely on the remainder ofthe crate in either of said positions, and corner plates depending fromthe-corners of said top and engaging the ends and sides of the crate inboth set up and collapsed positions.

4. In a collapsible crate, a bottom, a hinge plate at eachcorner ofsaidbottom consisting of abody having two portions disposed at rightangles'to each other and legs extending from said body portion along theedge portions of the ends and sides of the bottom and being securedthereto, said body having openings in the two portions thereof, cratesides having lower members provided with reduced endseach fitting anopening in y a respective hinge plate, crate ends having lower membersprovided with reduced ends each fitting a second opening in a respectivehinge plate, and a top detachably connected to said ends and sides.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CHESTER E. TUELL.

